The Effect of Repeated Capillary Refill Tests on the Cutaneous Microcirculation.

Objective: The capillary refill test (CR test) is often used in emergency care, and the capillary refill time (CR time) is used to assess a patient's circulatory condition. The objective of this study was to investigate if repeated CR tests affect CR time.

Methods: Thirteen healthy volunteers had repeated CR tests performed on the sternum, forehead, and fingers. The tests were filmed using polarized reflectance spectroscopy and dedicated software for objective quantification of the CR time.

Results: There were no statistical differences between the first CR test in a series and the following. However, there were statistically significant differences in CR time between the different anatomical sites.

Conclusion: Repeated CR tests, separated by a minimum of 2 min, do not affect CR time in healthy volunteers. The site where the test is performed is of importance for CR time.